FSUNow | Fairmont State University - Title III Granthttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant
enMath Peer Mentors Provide Help and Support to Ease Students’ Anxietyhttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/math-peer-mentors-provide-help-and-support-ease-students%E2%80%99-anxiety
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Tuesday, December 16, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Math Peer Mentors Provide Help and Support to Ease Students’ Anxiety - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/math-peer-mentors-provide-help-and-support-ease-students%E2%80%99-anxiety"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Math may be difficult, daunting, and anxiety-producing, but help is available. Student peer mentors can provide the extra help and support that students may need to be successful in their math classes and maybe even in their majors.</p>
<p>Janalee Poe, who is a double major in Math and Secondary Education with a History minor, serves as a peer mentor in Trigonometry. She said that part of her work as a peer mentor is helping students overcome their fear of math. “I try to help students get over their math anxiety and apprehension. It isn’t that they can’t do math; they just have a fear of it,” Poe said.</p>
<p>Kevin Dudley, a Chemistry major, serves as a peer mentor in co-requisite math courses (formerly developmental math). Dudley believes some students are more comfortable asking questions to a peer mentor instead of a professor. “We are truly their peer. We can relate to them and their struggles as a student.”</p>
<p>Throughout this past semester, Dudley said it was rewarding to see improvement in the students’ grades as well as in their confidence.</p>
<p>Poe said her “favorite part is to see the light bulb come on when [the students] finally understand a concept they have been struggling with. And, I really enjoy when I get an email from students when they do a great job on a test. It makes me know that my Saturday wasn’t wasted,” she said with a laugh.</p>
<p>Peer mentors in the College of Science and Technology are specifically assigned to courses and are available to work with students individually or in small study groups throughout the semester. In the upcoming Spring 2015 semester, peer mentoring will be available in math, chemistry, biology, and physics, and will possibly expand into other subject areas as well.</p>
<p>Peer mentoring is one of the initiatives funded by Fairmont State’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant. Fairmont State’s Title III project identifies courses with the highest rates of D’s, F’s and withdrawals and pilots strategies designed to help improve student success in these courses. In addition to peer mentoring, other teaching strategies are used to make the curricula more collaborative, experiential and technology-rich. The peer mentoring program in the College of Science and Technology was launched near the end of the Spring 2014 semester, with the Fall 2014 semester marking the first full semester for the program.</p>
<p>Robynn Shannon, Ph.D., serves as the STEM Learning Coordinator for the Title III project in the College of Science and Technology. She oversees the mentoring program as well as facilitates other teaching and learning strategies piloted by the grant.</p>
<p>“Based on our experience to date, I am convinced that Student Peer Mentoring is the most effective of the Title III initiatives for improving student success and retention,” Shannon said. “The effectiveness of this type of program is well supported by the research literature, as well as anecdotally from a number of other institutions.”</p>
<p>Dudley emphasized that peer mentoring is more than tutoring. While peer mentoring offers individual and small group sessions to provide students with extra help with the course material, it provides much more. “This is not just homework help; it’s helping students with the skills they will need in order to be successful and also connecting them to the resources available on campus,” said Dudley.</p>
<p>As a nontraditional student, who considers himself to be on “strike two,” Dudley brings important perspective to mentoring.</p>
<p>“I know the price for failing,” Dudley said. Previously enrolled at Fairmont State in 1988 through 1991, Dudley ended up dropping out of college. “I didn’t even withdraw from my classes. I just stopped going. I was young and didn’t know much about how college works.” </p>
<p>Coming back to FSU in 2012, Dudley has a different perspective and a keen focus. However, he also has many additional responsibilities. In addition to a full class schedule as a Chemistry major and serving as a peer mentor, Dudley is married, has two young children, and works a part-time job. Not to mention, he lives in Elkins and drives to campus four days a week, with an hour and a half commute each way. </p>
<p>“Ultimately, I know that I’m in control of my own education and future, and I try to impress that upon the other students as well,” Dudley said.</p>
<p>Poe serves as a peer mentor for two sections of Trigonometry. She also carries a full class load, and she is an Honors student. Additionally, she works as a research assistant in the Honors Program office.</p>
<p>While the mentoring program has obvious benefits to the students who take advantage of the services, Poe said that serving as a peer mentor has been a great opportunity for her personally. Being a peer mentor for Trigonometry has convinced Poe of her own future career path. “This experience has helped me to know for sure that I want to teach math, and I want to teach at the high school level.”</p>
<p>“It’s also great to be able to use what I am learning in my education classes to help me individualize how I present information to the students I mentor based on their learning styles,” Poe said.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div></div></div>Tue, 16 Dec 2014 19:12:36 +0000apellegrin9849 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowRenowned Education Author and Speaker to Hold Workshop During Faculty Development Week http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/renowned-education-author-and-speaker-hold-workshop-during-faculty-development-week
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Tuesday, December 16, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Renowned Education Author and Speaker to Hold Workshop During Faculty Development Week - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/renowned-education-author-and-speaker-hold-workshop-during-faculty-development-week"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/Elizabeth%20Barkley%20Photo.png?itok=gn9FrlpU" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/Elizabeth%20Barkley%20Photo.png?itok=xUzM0Xof" width="198" height="278" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Elizabeth Barkley, Ph.D., one of the nation’s leading authors in teaching and learning, will facilitate workshops for Fairmont State faculty on Tuesday, January 13, 2015. Barkley’s workshop—“Practical and Effective Strategies to Get Your Students Engaged”—will be held at 9-11:30 a.m. with a repeating session at 1-3:30 p.m. Both sessions will take place in the Falcon Center’s third floor conference rooms.</p>
<p>Workshop participants will receive a copy of Barkley's book <em>Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty </em>(Jossey-Bass, 2010), compliments of the Title III grant and the Office of the Provost.</p>
<p>Barkley’s workshop is designed for participants to do the following:</p>
<ul><li>
Learn practical ways to engage students</li>
<li>
Implement active and collaborative learning strategies</li>
<li>
Identify strategies that enhance or transform courses to achieve deep learning</li>
<li>
Make clear connections between learning goals and assessment</li>
</ul><p>This workshop is made possible by Fairmont State University's U.S. Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions Program grant. Fairmont State’s Title III project focuses on ways to foster student success in some of the most challenging courses on campus by implementing active, collaborative and experiential learning strategies supported by a technology-rich learning environment.</p>
<p>Barkley is Professor of Music at Foothill College, Los Altos, California. Her career in higher education spans three decades. She has received numerous honors and awards, including being named California's Higher Education Professor of the Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, formally recognized by the California state legislature for her contributions to undergraduate education, selected as "Innovator of the Year" in conjunction with the National League for Innovation, presented with the Hayward Award for Educational Excellence, and honored by the Center for Diversity in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. She was also named one of two Carnegie Scholars in the discipline of music by the Carnegie Foundation in conjunction with the Pew Charitable Trusts.</p>
<p>Barkley is the author of <em>Collaborative Learning Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty</em> (Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, Released August 2014), <em>Student Engagement Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty</em> (Jossey-Bass, 2010) and several music history textbooks. Barkley holds a B.A. and M.A. from University of California, Riverside and a Ph.D. from University of California, Berkeley.</p>
<p> </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/elizabeth-barkley">Elizabeth Barkley</a></div></div></div>Tue, 16 Dec 2014 14:18:14 +0000apellegrin9848 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowStudent Peer Mentors Present at Statewide Conferencehttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/student-peer-mentors-present-statewide-conference
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Monday, September 29, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Student Peer Mentors Present at Statewide Conference - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/student-peer-mentors-present-statewide-conference"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/Student%20Success%20Summit%20Presentation%20Picture%20for%20Newsletter.jpg?itok=vV9WpVxI" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/Student%20Success%20Summit%20Presentation%20Picture%20for%20Newsletter.jpg?itok=dmqg3dum" width="300" height="189" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Over the summer, two student peer mentors in the School of Business presented at the Student Success Summit, a statewide conference for educators co-sponsored by the West Virginia Department of Education and the West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission.</p>
<p>At the conference, Dr. Richard Harvey, Dean of the School of Business, briefly introduced the peer mentoring program that has been implemented by the School of Business through the Title III Strengthening Institutions grant, and then he turned the presentation over to Fairmont State students Alex Campbell and Effy Kim. Both Campbell and Kim have served as peer mentors since the program began last fall.</p>
<p>Campbell, who is majoring in Accounting, and Kim, who is majoring Information Systems Management, prepared the presentation and were excited about the opportunity to present at a professional conference. The students presented to a crowd of education professionals and fielded a number of questions.</p>
<p>“The audience was very interested in our presentation,” Kim said. “A lot of professors and educators were curious how the program fared at Fairmont State, and they also had a lot of questions related to ethics.”</p>
<p> “The experience of presenting was marvelous,” Campbell said. “I worked hard enough preparing that I knew for certain that the end product would turn out well. And, while presenting, it was easy to see the listeners engaging. We received great feedback from multiple people. I also had some good conversations about peer mentoring and other teaching concepts with various people afterwards.” </p>
<p>Kim was pleased not only to have an opportunity to present at the conference but also to attend.</p>
<p>“This [conference] was a great opportunity to learn more about higher education and to broaden my horizon,” she said. “I believe this experience opened my eyes to new opportunities in the education field.” </p>
<p><em>Peer mentoring is an important initiative of the Title III Strengthening Institutions grant project at Fairmont State. Both the School of Business and the College of Science &amp; Technology are piloting peer mentoring programs funded through the Title III grant. </em></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div></div></div>Tue, 30 Sep 2014 02:29:05 +0000apellegrin9808 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowFairmont State Alumna Joins Title III Project as Business Learning Coordinatorhttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/fairmont-state-alumna-joins-title-iii-project-business-learning-coordinator
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Monday, September 29, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Fairmont State Alumna Joins Title III Project as Business Learning Coordinator - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/fairmont-state-alumna-joins-title-iii-project-business-learning-coordinator"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/Tasker%20Ashley%20individual%20for%20Amantha%20September%202014DSC_5616.jpg?itok=AzhHnYDV" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/Tasker%20Ashley%20individual%20for%20Amantha%20September%202014DSC_5616.jpg?itok=HAWgIvDi" width="300" height="240" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>When Ashley Tasker began her educational journey, she thought she needed to be at a big university.</p>
<p>However, as a first-generation college student, she felt overwhelmed and lost in the crowd. After three semesters, the Preston County native decided to transfer to Fairmont State.</p>
<p>She quickly found that a smaller campus with smaller classes allowed her to feel more connected to the University. And, her educational and professional paths were directly impacted by the connections she made with her professors at Fairmont State.</p>
<p>“At a small university like Fairmont State, professors get to really know their students,” Tasker said. “They recognize their students’ strengths and help to encourage students to pursue goals and opportunities they may not even realize exist.”</p>
<p>For Tasker, it was a pair of Fairmont State psychology professors, Ann and Joe Shaver, who encouraged her to pursue graduate work, which was an option she had not previously considered. The fact that her professors had noticed her ability and had taken an interest in encouraging her to achieve her full potential set Tasker on an educational and career path that now has led her back to Fairmont State’s campus. This time, Tasker is here as the Business Learning Coordinator to work with the School of Business to implement the initiatives of the Title III Strengthening Institutions grant project at Fairmont State.</p>
<p>“I love education, and I am a firm believer in lifelong learning,” Tasker said. “I’ve even taken courses beyond the requirements for my doctorate because a certain topic interested me.”</p>
<p>Tasker, who will defend her dissertation in May, will receive her Doctor of Education degree in curriculum and instruction.</p>
<p>Tasker’s research for her dissertation is about faculty engagement and the consequent impact on overall career wellbeing. “Really, engagement is about genuinely loving what you do,” she explained.</p>
<p>Since her arrival to campus in August, Tasker has been fully engaged in her new role in the School of Business. She has been meeting with faculty members who are redesigning their courses, and she is coordinating the resources to support their efforts. As part of her role as the Business Learning Coordinator, Tasker supports faculty to integrate active, experiential and technology-rich teaching strategies in their courses. </p>
<p>“I want to assist faculty with curriculum enhancements that contribute to improved learning and student success. Learning in higher education does not only consist of discipline-specific knowledge, but also developing skills that enable graduates to be effective in the 21<sup>st</sup> century,” she said.</p>
<p>Tasker also oversees the student peer mentoring program in the School of Business. Student peer mentoring is an important initiative of the Title III project, and Tasker brings experience from her previous position as the coordinator of the Mountaineer Academic Program at West Virginia University, a supplemental program that provides tutoring and other services to students with disabilities. She also had firsthand experience serving as a student mentor in a psychology class when she was a student at Fairmont State.</p>
<p>“My ultimate goal is to help increase student success so students can achieve both their personal and professional academic goals,” Tasker said. </p>
<p><em>Tasker holds a Bachelor of Science in forensic Psychology from Fairmont State and a Master of Science in Rehabilitation Counseling from West Virginia University. She currently resides in Morgantown with her husband and daughter. </em></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div></div></div>Tue, 30 Sep 2014 02:27:15 +0000apellegrin9807 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowTitle III Student Peer Mentor in the Spotlight: Effy Kim http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/title-iii-student-peer-mentor-spotlight-effy-kim
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, May 09, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Title III Student Peer Mentor in the Spotlight: Effy Kim - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/title-iii-student-peer-mentor-spotlight-effy-kim"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/Effy%20Photo--FSU%20Now.jpg?itok=Fmna-vMJ" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/Effy%20Photo--FSU%20Now.jpg?itok=KAQWKXnp" width="189" height="300" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Effy Kim has served as a peer mentor for the School of Business since Fall 2013. Effy was born in Seoul, Republic of Korea. She moved to Sterling Heights, Michigan, when she was fifteen and graduated from Parkway Christian School in 2011. She transferred to Fairmont State University in 2012, where she is studying Information Systems Management with a minor in Accounting. Her anticipated graduation date is May 2016. She loves the friendly environment of Fairmont State University. In addition to her work as a peer mentor, Effy is president of Information Systems Student Organization (ISSO), secretary of Delta Mu Delta, and a member of the Student Leadership Board at Fairmont State University. She enjoys playing piano and learning foreign languages. She aspires to open her own business in the future.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div></div></div>Fri, 09 May 2014 20:22:12 +0000apellegrin9702 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowPeer Mentors: Creating Independent Learnershttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/peer-mentors-creating-independent-learners
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, May 09, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Peer Mentors: Creating Independent Learners - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/peer-mentors-creating-independent-learners"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/Peer%20Mentor%20Interview.jpg?itok=xklwnbQK" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/Peer%20Mentor%20Interview.jpg?itok=IfusrOfy" width="300" height="181" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>The peer mentoring program in the School of Business aims to do more than just help students succeed in difficult courses; it provides opportunities for students to become independent learners who are prepared for the future.</p>
<p>The student peer mentoring program, a part of the Title III grant project, was launched in October, 2013. Mentors have been hired and trained for Principles of Accounting I and II, Economics I and II, Introduction to Computing, Business Programming Logic, and Business Law I and II.</p>
<p>During their training, student mentors learn how to actively engage students with the course work in group study sessions to reach an enhanced understanding of potentially difficult material. The mentors are also trained to understand individual learning styles and how to cater to them while making the sessions fun and active. They approach the material from various angles; utilize study materials such as study guides, outlines, charts, and graphs; and stimulate group sessions with the up-to-date technology accessible in the LearnLab.</p>
<p>“We have three different tables [in the LearnLab], so we can have multiple groups studying at one time. It’s easier for me to work and demonstrate for the students by putting my work up on the monitors for everyone to see. It’s easier for them to follow along,” Yuezhong Luo, Principles of Accounting I mentor, explained.</p>
<p>Aside from the technology at their disposal, the students thrive when working together. The goal of the group sessions is to facilitate communication and problem solving among the students in order to reach a higher level of comprehension. The mentors encourage the students to share problems, ideas, and solutions.</p>
<p>“What one person may not understand, another will. The roundtable discussions are really helpful for getting the point across,” Jason Frazer, Economics mentor, said.</p>
<p>This communication extends outside of the study sessions. The mentors provide their notes, as well as additional study materials they create, to their attendees via email. Students can also visit the mentors during their office hours if they missed a session or need additional help. Furthermore, mentors offer special pre-exam study sessions the day before an exam. These have been well attended.</p>
<p>They also provide a comfortable atmosphere where the students can gain confidence and feel at ease demonstrating their own skills as opposed to being shown. The students also feel more self-assured in their ability to find the answers on their own using their textbook or other materials. The techniques employed by the mentors create an environment that generates independent learners.</p>
<p>“Interactive group sessions are less intimidating [than the classroom atmosphere]. The students can be more involved. We want everybody to feel included. We want everyone to feel like they can reach out for help whenever they need to without feeling ashamed,” Seungha Kim, Introduction to Computing mentor, said.</p>
<p>Along with helping the students excel in their current courses, the mentors strive to prepare them to succeed in all courses and in future schooling. To do this, they help the students understand what type of learner they are and to maximize their study efficiency accordingly to get the most out of their classes.</p>
<p>“Our mentors show us different tactics to approach the material. They show us more than just one study technique to use and we can choose which one fits us the best. This is something that we can use for multiple classes, not just one,” said Dominik Mensah, a member of Jason Frazer’s study group.</p>
<p>Overall, improvement has been observed among the students, as well as the mentors, who have expressed that they are learning through the opportunity of mentoring and interacting with others. Students have noticed higher grades, better comprehension, and increased confidence in the classroom. Many also feel that the mentoring program could help others who are experiencing the same struggles they were.</p>
<p>“It helped me, so I know it will help other students,” Diamond Brown, a study group member, said. </p>
<p>In just twelve weeks, the mentors have welcomed more than 350 student visits during their mentoring sessions and office hours, resulting in noticeable improvement among the visitors’ grades and classroom performance. The program not only aids in student success and retention, but also builds on the confidence and life skills of the mentors and mentees alike. It has proved to be a rewarding experience for both parties.</p>
<p> “It feels really good to see students start to understand something that they once were frustrated over. Through working together, they start to get it,” said Principles of Accounting II mentor, Alex Campbell.</p>
<p> The success of the program has been outstanding, and this is not going unnoticed. The mentors have been invited to the West Virginia Student Success Summit on July 30, 2014 to talk about the creation and success of the student mentoring program. The growth of the program is expected to continue into the next school year. The amount of mentors will more than double, and more classes in the School of Business will be covered.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div></div></div>Fri, 09 May 2014 20:18:15 +0000apellegrin9701 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowSolving the Learning Puzzle with Dr. Robynn K. Shannonhttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/academics-fsu-faces/solving-learning-puzzle-dr-robynn-k-shannon
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Thursday, April 17, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Solving the Learning Puzzle with Dr. Robynn K. Shannon - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/academics-fsu-faces/solving-learning-puzzle-dr-robynn-k-shannon"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/Robynn%20Shannon%20FSUNow%20photo.jpg?itok=FMgq1JLI" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/Robynn%20Shannon%20FSUNow%20photo.jpg?itok=Fr4Kp8QV" width="246" height="300" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Dr. Robynn K. Shannon, who joined the Title III team in February 2014 as the STEM Learning Coordinator, enjoys a challenging puzzle.</p>
<p> “One thing I love about teaching and learning is the intellectual challenge of teaching itself: how to facilitate, enhance, inspire, motivate and model learning,” Shannon said. “For me, teaching—more specifically how to teach effectively—is like a brain-teaser puzzle, which is what makes it so interesting.” </p>
<p>Fairmont State’s Title III project—“Revitalizing Curricula as Experiential, Collaborative and Technology-Rich”—is the perfect opportunity for Shannon to work on solving the learning puzzle. In this position, she will have the opportunity to collaborate with faculty in high-risk STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) courses to pilot new teaching and learning strategies.</p>
<p> “Through my own teaching experience I have learned that the more engaged students are in the course material, the better they will learn,” Shannon said. “And, teaching techniques and strategies need to accommodate all of the learning styles that are present in the classroom.”</p>
<p>“Students change, technology changes. These continued challenges keep teaching interesting,” she said. The Title III grant has funded some new instructional technology tools—such as iPad carts and lecture capture—as resources for faculty to explore new teaching methods and classroom opportunities. Shannon will assist faculty in incorporating newer technology into their courses.</p>
<p>“I have found teaching to be endlessly rewarding, in part because it is endlessly challenging,” Shannon said. “In this position as the STEM Learning Coordinator, I am grateful to have the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated faculty on a variety of courses to pursue this challenge and try to solve the learning puzzle together.”</p>
<p>The Title III grant also funds the development and piloting of student peer mentoring. Shannon has recently launched the Math peer mentoring program, with other discipline-specific programs to follow.</p>
<p>“Like many Fairmont State students, I was a first-generation college student,” Shannon said. “And, I sympathize with students who struggle to learn Chemistry, Physics and Math, as I also found these to be difficult subject areas to master.”</p>
<p>Peer mentoring, however, provides benefits beyond additional help with the subject matter.</p>
<p> “Student success depends on many things in addition to learning,” Shannon observed. “First-generation college students may struggle to navigate the system.” She said student peer mentors can also help connect students to campus resources and provide a network of support. </p>
<p>Shannon looks forward to opportunities to meet with students in the College of Science &amp; Technology. “I am interested in their perspective and feedback about what they think some solutions are for the high DFW classes.”</p>
<p>Shannon holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology from Houghton College, a Master of Science degree in Botany from the University of New Hampshire, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology from the University of Connecticut. </p>
<p>As a biologist, Shannon specializes in plant biology and her interests also include evolutionary biology, ecology, and organismal biology. “It is important to me to stay actively engaged in my own disciplinary area, even as I work with faculty in several different programs and departments. My current research is focused on the biology and control of invasive aquatic plant species, and on the species diversity and ecology of microscopic animals known as ‘tardigrades.’”</p>
<p>Shannon came to Fairmont State from West Virginia Wesleyan, but her teaching journey includes Wesleyan University, Eastern Connecticut State University, Ramapo College of New Jersey, Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts, and two years as a general science teacher in Ghana, West Africa, as a Peace Corps Volunteer. </p>
<p>Shannon said moving to West Virginia has felt like coming home. “I have spent most of my adult life in New England, but I grew up in northwestern Pennsylvania,” she said. “Faculty, staff, and students here at FSU have all made me feel very welcome.”</p>
<p>Shannon enjoys outdoor activities such as trail running, hiking, biking and kayaking.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/robynn-shannon">Robynn Shannon</a></div></div></div>Thu, 17 Apr 2014 20:19:24 +0000apellegrin9691 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowTitle III Student Peer Mentor Spotlight: Sarah Picketthttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/academics-fsu-faces/title-iii-student-peer-mentor-spotlight-sarah-pickett
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Thursday, April 17, 2014</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Title III Student Peer Mentor Spotlight: Sarah Pickett - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/academics-fsu-faces/title-iii-student-peer-mentor-spotlight-sarah-pickett"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/DSC_8321.jpg?itok=S4grqUuq" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/DSC_8321.jpg?itok=4mDnA8-1" width="212" height="300" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Sarah Pickett was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia. She attended Riverside High School in Belle, West Virginia. She enrolled in Fairmont State University in the fall of 2010. After exploring a series of programs of study, she made her way to the School of Business, where she is majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance and a minor in Accounting. Her anticipated graduation is May 2015. Sarah loves Fairmont State for its class size and personable faculty and staff.</p>
<p>When she’s not in class, you can find Sarah in the library reading her book of the week. She is a hard working student who loves to help her classmates whenever she can, inside and outside the classroom. Though she’s keeping her career options open at this point, she hopes to enter the banking industry upon graduation.</p>
<p>As soon as Sarah first heard about the peer mentoring program, she knew she wanted to be involved. She believes that this program can help struggling students find the skills they need to succeed not only in the subjects peer mentoring offers, but also for all of their classes. Sarah would also encourage students who are doing well in their classes to attend sessions to see the additional skills they could learn from the program.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/sarah-pickett">Sarah Pickett</a></div></div></div>Thu, 17 Apr 2014 20:17:20 +0000apellegrin9690 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowDr. Stephen Moore—Working Toward Student Successhttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/dr-stephen-moore%E2%80%94working-toward-student-success
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, December 13, 2013</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Dr. Stephen Moore—Working Toward Student Success - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/dr-stephen-moore%E2%80%94working-toward-student-success"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/DSC_8342.jpg?itok=EFVEmbv7" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/DSC_8342.jpg?itok=Dzssk6oK" width="300" height="192" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Fairmont State University’s new Business Learning Coordinator, Dr. Stephen Moore, understands the struggles that students sometimes have in the classroom, and he is on a mission to make sure they have opportunities to succeed.</p>
<p>“I had a lot of hardships as a freshman and sophomore in college, and I feel that students should not have to deal with a lot of the things that I dealt with,” Moore said.</p>
<p>Because of the challenges he faced, Moore believes he can relate to students who are struggling in college. He says he did not attend an academically strong high school, and his family did not have the resources to send him to college. Fortunately, with the help of financial aid advisors and effective coaching from academic counselors, he found academic success, which translated into personal and professional success.</p>
<p>His own experiences in high school and college have inspired him to work in higher education, and his ultimate goal in his role at Fairmont State is fostering student success—giving students the skills and resources that will help them achieve academically.</p>
<p>Moore was hired through the U.S. Department of Education Title III Strengthening Institutions grant that Fairmont State was awarded last year. As the Business Learning Coordinator, Moore is responsible for piloting the grant project in the School of Business by working with faculty to infuse curricula with experiential, collaborative and technology-rich learning opportunities.</p>
<p>“We are looking at high-risk courses where students drop out or fail frequently and we are trying to re-tool the curriculum a little bit to help those students succeed,” he said.</p>
<p>Since his arrival to campus in August, Moore has launched the student peer mentoring program in the School of Business; has worked with faculty members on integrating new, grant-funded technologies into their courses; and has arranged for faculty development opportunities, including bringing experts in experiential and active learning to campus. The grant is funding the development and piloting of these strategies to assess their impact on student achievement. </p>
<p>Moore received his MBA in Strategic Management of Human Resources, his M.S. in Instructional Evaluation and his Ph.D. in Instructional Design, Development and Evaluation from Syracuse University.</p>
<p>For the past 26 years, Moore has worked in both consulting and education. He has taught at Syracuse University, Sejong University (Korea), Columbia College and State University of New York at Morrisville, acquiring significant experience as a university-level professor. He has taught in several areas including entrepreneurship, strategic management, organizational behavior, leadership, production and operations management, human resource management, statistics and research methods.</p>
<p>“I continued in education because I realized I could help students,” he said.</p>
<p>Among his many positions, Moore served as a director for Bachelors Programs at SUNY and director of the Business &amp; Accounting Department in a community college with more than 75,000 students. In 2009, while at SUNY Morrisville, Moore received the Best Academic Advisor Award for outstanding faculty advising.</p>
<p>He aims to use the opportunities enabled by the Title III grant to make a difference at Fairmont State.</p>
<p>“I want to inspire people and motivate faculty and administrators to say, ‘Wow, it’s like we’re at the starting line in a race and somebody just gave us a 10-foot head start.’ We can stand there and not use it wisely or we can train and work every day to maintain that head start. I really feel strongly, that if we work as a team, we’re going to be able to do a lot,” Moore said.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/dr-stephen-moore">Dr. Stephen Moore</a></div></div></div>Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:33:30 +0000apellegrin9620 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunowTitle III Student Peer Mentor Spotlight: Alex Campbellhttp://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/title-iii-student-peer-mentor-spotlight-alex-campbell
<div class="field field-name-field-news-date field-type-date field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><span class="date-display-single">Friday, December 13, 2013</span></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-share-buttons field-type-addthis field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div class="addthis_toolbox addthis_default_style " addthis:title="Title III Student Peer Mentor Spotlight: Alex Campbell - FSUNow | Fairmont State University" addthis:url="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/title-iii-student-peer-mentor-spotlight-alex-campbell"><a href="http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300" class="addthis_button_facebook_like" fb:like:layout="button_count"></a>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/gallery_display/public/news_images/DSC_8316.jpg?itok=pDMKQRyz" rel="lightbox[field_news_image][]" title=""><img src="http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow/sites/default/files/styles/news_full_story/public/news_images/DSC_8316.jpg?itok=p4dIH3XL" width="200" height="300" alt="" /></a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Alex Campbell was born and raised in the Seattle area of Washington State. He was homeschooled by his parents, Robert and Grace Campbell, all the way through high school. In 2012, he transferred to Fairmont State University, where he is studying accounting with a minor in information systems. His anticipated graduation is May 2015. Alex loves the campus and the classroom sizes and feels quite at home in his new surroundings.</p>
<p>Alex enjoys playing basketball and has been the team captain of two intramural basketball teams. He is a hard-working student with a 4.0 GPA, and he teaches piano, helps students with classes, writes music and studies Chinese in his spare time. He is keeping his career options open and aspires to benefit many others as a great business leader.</p>
<p>Alex has always had a heart to reach out to students and promote active learning in the classroom. He jumped at the peer mentor position, eager to help guide greater numbers of students to academic success. He believes that the peer mentoring program is an outstanding way for students to perform better in their classes and also to improve their study and life management skills.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><em>Each edition of </em>The Impact: Title III Project Update <em>will spotlight a student peer mentor. The Title III grant is developing and piloting a student peer mentoring program in the College of Science &amp; Technology and the School of Business.</em></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii-grant">Title III Grant</a></div><div class="field-item odd"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/title-iii">Title III</a></div><div class="field-item even"><a href="/fsunow/category/tags/alex-campbell">Alex Campbell</a></div></div></div>Fri, 13 Dec 2013 18:31:30 +0000apellegrin9619 at http://www.fairmontstate.edu/fsunow